Conveying apparatus



Dec. 14, 1937. v K, N W MER 2,102,330

CONVEYING APPARATUS Filer} Nov. 16, 1935 3 w i i N I! U In uh m i #3 N & w g 1 V 1 INVENTOR Q 1 V/n cent KNewcomer Jim. 5% ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 14, 1937 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2.102.336 CONVEYING APrAitA'rns Vincent K. Newcomer, Independence, Mm Application minim 1c, 1935, serial No. 50,166

Claims. (01. 302-50) My invention relates to conveying apparatus I and more particularly to apparatus for conveying pulverized or finely divided materials.

It is known to the art that. admixing of a fluid such as air with finely divided or pulverized material will impart to the mixture many of the characteristics of a liquid, enabling it to flow by gravity through ducts or pipes. This is disclosed in U. S. Letters Pateht No. 1,553,539, granted to A. G. Kinyon. The flow of material to aconveyor of this type is almost'never constant, with the result that the compressed fluid, usually compressed air, runs to'waste attimes when there is no material to be conveyed in the hopper.

Similarly, it frequently happens that a disproportionately large amount of air is employed for the moving of the pulverized material due to the fact that no satisfactory means for controlling the air supply has been developed.

One object of my invention is to provide a conveying apparatus for conveying finely divided materials in which a fluid is admixed with the finely divided materials to enable the mixture to flow, in which the fluid supply is controlled or governed in response to the requirements of the material being conveyed.

Another object -of my invention is to provide an apparatus of the character described in which the compressed air is supplied in proportionto the loading of thematerial being conveyed.

Another object of my invention is to provide an apparatus of the character described in which the main air supply is automatically interrupted when the feed hopper becomes empty.

A further object of my invention is to provide an apparatus in which the main air supply is automaticaly reestablished after having been interrupted by the emptying of the hopper, when further material is to be conveyed. 5

Other and further objects oi'my invention will appear from the following description.

In the accompanying drawing I which forms part of the instantspeciflcation and are to be read in conjunction therewith and in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like parts in the various views;

Figure 1 is an elevation of a conveying apparatus embodying one mode of carrying out my invention, shown with \parts in, section.

Figure -2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of a, control valve employed in the, embodiment shown in Figure 1. l

In general, my invention contemplates the control of the main compressed fluid orair supply by a valve which is urged to closed position by means of a spring or the like and urged to open position by means of the air pressure existing in the air supply manifold and the bypassing of the main air supply control valve by a reducing valve discharging into-theair manifold supply- 5 ing air to the conveying apparatus.

More particularly referring to the drawing, the conveying apparatus may be of any suitable type and may comprise a hopper 1 provided with a discharge duct 2 into which the material placed 10 in hopper i is conveyed by a conveyo-r screw 3. The conveyor screw 3 is driven by any suitable prime mover (not shown) by the rotation of shaft 4. At the outlet of duct 2 there is provided an annular manifold '5 into which com- 5 pressed 'fluid such as air is adapted to pass through a pipe 6. The manifold is provided with a. plurality of orifices 1 disposed around the internal periphery thereoi through which the air for aerating the pulverized material is supplied. The aerated, pulverized inaterial then flows past a check valve 8 which is hingedly mounted by means of a. pivoted arm 9 through a pipe or duct 10 to the locus to which the material is being conveyed. The check valve arrangement is known to the art and has for its object the sealing of the duct II! from the hopper to prevent the escape of the compressed air from the duct l0 through the hopper, blowing the material caught in the flights of the'conveyor screw 3'out through thehopper.

Themain air supply for aerating the pulverized material, for imparting mobility thereto,

comes through pipe i I which is connected toany suitable compressed air source '(not shown). The 4 gauge I2 indicates the line pressure; Line H communicates with pipe. 6 through a. control valve l2. The discharge from valve 1 2 communicates I directly to pipe 6 which suppliesair to the manifold 5. The manifold pressure is indicated by 4 gauge l3. Valve I2 is shown in detail in Figure 2 and consists of a usual valvebody, provided with a valve seat Manda valve l5. A'spring l6 tends to hold the valve in seated position through valve stem H. The tension of spring l6 may be adjusted by positioning of nuts l8 and I9 upon the'valve-stem. Clamped between nuts I8 and I9 is a diaphragm 20 positioned in a chamber 2| formed by a cover member 22. A pipe 23 provides communication between pipe 5 (in which the manifold pressure exists) and the chamber 2.! on top of the diaphragm 20. It will be obvious from the construction that the pressure existing in pipe 6, acting through'diaphragm' 20-;

will tend to move valve l5 from its seat against the action of spring II. The optimum pressure to be carried in line II is dependent upon the type-of material to be conveyed and is determined empirically. This line pressure may be kept constant by the-introduction of a reducing valve (not shown) between the compressed 'air source and the line II. From the construction described it will be obvious that, as the load lessens, the back pressure to'the discharge of air through orifices 1 decreases, thus lowering the pressure in manifold I. Since this pressure is imposed upon the top of diaphragm 28, there will be less force resisting the action of spring II, thus permitting valve I I to move toward closed position throttling l5 the passage of compressed air from the main line II and' reducing the volume of air supplied. Should the back pressure to the discharge of air through orifices 1 increase by a denser batch of pulverized material, the pressure in manifold I will increase. This increased pressure being communicated to the top of' diaphragm 20 will again move the valve to permit an increased volume of air from main I I to pass. It will be readily under- =stood that this action is continuous and automatic, the air Supplied, being proportioned to pressure then exists 4:; difficulty,

. the load. Should the hopper become empty a free flow of air through orifices I will take place. When this occurs, the back pressure, being small, the adjustment of the spring is such that it will 30 overcome the manifold pressure when this condition exists. In other words, the spring II of valve I2 is adjusted so that, with no material in the hopper and the desired line pressure in main II, it will close the valve II against whatever in the manifold I.

If valve I2 wereall that were employed when this condition obtained, and a fresh supply of material were placed in hopper I, the valve II being on its seat, no air would be supplied and though the pulverized material were closely packed around the orifices :1, yet the'valve II would remain upon its seat and the pulverized material would not be aerated for conveyance and fiow 'to the desired locus. To overcome this v I bypass the valve I! by a branch line 24 communicating with the main II at a point -,before the valve, a reducing valve II and a branch line It conducting the output of the reducing valve 2I-to the line I and manifold I. The reduc- 50 ing valve 2| may be of any suitable type known to 75 presence of material tending to close the'otlflces the art and is controlled by air supplied through a small pipe 11 controlled by a valve IL The ad- 'I, will cause the supply of air at one pound pressure entering line 6 through line 26 to act upon the top of diaphragm 20 through line". When this occurs, valve II will be lifted off itsseat, allowing additional air to enter line I from the main II. The back pressure still being high, the increment of pressure in the manifold will be communicated to diaphragm 20 opening valve I5 further and to its required extent to enable a suilicient volume of air to be supplied to aerate the pulverized material.

' It is believed that the operation of my apparatus will be clear from the Joregoing description. It will be seen that I have accomplished the objects of my invention. I supply air in proescapes is that at a pressure of one iustment of reducing valve II is such that with no material in the hopper 'it will throttle the 55 main line pressure through line 24 to any desired predetermined small pressure. For example, ifthe main line pressure were II pounds per square inch, the reducing valve II would be adjusted so that the air through line II would have 60 a pressure of one pound. This pressure is-automatically maintained by the valve as is well known to the art of reducing valves.

. In order to obtain aconcept Ion of the relative shed the lines used, if line II were a two inch 5 line and carried 15 pounds per square inch pressure, line 21 would be a three eighths inch line, line 2| would be a three fourths inch line, line 28 would be a one half inch line, and line 23 would be a three fourths inch e. with the construc- 70 tion shown. should the condition heretoforedescribed exist, namely valve II in a closed position and a fresh load of pulverized material in the hopper, the back pressure to eduction of fluid, from manifold I, beingincreased by the portion to the load and provide means for reestablishing the supply of air after it has been interrupted by a cessation of demand, In practice, I have been able to reduce the compressed air load of a conveyor of the character described by 50-percent. It will be readily appreciatedthat this saving is effected. by the difference in volume sub-combinations are of utility and may be employed' without reference to other features and sub-combinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of my claims. It is further obvious that various changes may be made in details within the scope of my claims without'departing from the spirit of myginvention. It is, therefore, to be understood that my invention is not to be limited to and described.

Having thus described claim is: I

1. In a conveying apparatus in which finely dimy invention, what I vided materials are admixed with air,.an air distributing manifold, a conduit for supplying air to said manifold, a valve in's'aid conduit, and means responsive to the air pressure in said manifold for controlling said valv 2. In a conveying apparatus in which-finely divided materials are admixed with air, an air distributing manifold, a conduit for supplying air to said manifold, a valve in said conduit, means responsive to the air pressure in said manifold for controlling said valve, and means by-passing said valve for introducing air into said manifold.

3. In a conveying apparatus in which finely divided materials are admixed with air; anal! distributing manifold, a conduit for supplying air to said manifold, a valve in said'conduit, means responsive to the air pressure in saidmanifoldfor controlling said valve, and means for introducing air into said manifold when said valve is closed.

4. In a conveying apparatus in which finely divided materials are admixed with air, an air dis tributing manifold,.a conduit for supplying air to said manifold, a valve in said'conduit, means responsibe to the air pressurein said manifold for controlling said valve, a line by-passing said the specific. details shownvalve providing communication between the air,

supply and. said manifold, and a reducing valve in said line whereby air at reduced pressure is vided materials are admixed with air, an air distributing manifold, a conduit for-supplying air to said manifold, a valve in said conduit, means responsive to the air pressure in said manifold for controlling said valve, and a second conduit for supplying air to said manifold irrespective of the pressure therein.

' VINCENT NEWCOMER. 

